In Florida, one in five traffic fatalities is a pedestrian and one in 20 is a bicyclist. FDOT District Secretary Billy Hattaway is the statewide champion leading Florida’s initiative to reduce fatalities among bicyclists and pedestrians.

“Florida has too many bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities, and Polk County is one of the 10 worst counties in the state,” Hattaway said. “We’re taking steps forward with our bike/ped partners in the county to identify potential treatments and educate people in the community. We need to change their behavior with the goal to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.”

Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow emphasizes four important behaviors for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers on our roadways:

always use the crosswalk,

look before crossing,

stop before turning on red,

yield to pedestrians.

“Learning the rules and making sure to follow them every time will help reduce fatalities and injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists. The state initiative and what it can accomplish is critical,” Secretary Hattaway said.

On Saturday, May 10, Lakeland Mayor Howard Wiggs will join Secretary Hattaway at FDOT’s tent directly across from the main food court from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. They will be available to discuss bicycle safety with media and members of the community.

Two officers with the Lakeland Police Department are gearing up to participate in the 2014 Police Unity Tour. On May 9th, Lieutenant Mike Moran, a 23-year veteran and Sergeant Mike Lewis, a 14-year veteran, will once again set out on a bike ride that will span three days and 250 miles from Portsmouth, VA to Washington, DC. The annual event’s primary purpose is to raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty. The tour also raisesfunds for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and Museum in Washington, D.C. This year’s ride will be the 3rd for Lt. Moran and the 2nd for Sgt. Lewis. The pair of riders have been training all year for the ride.

“I am an avid cyclist and also passionate about law enforcement and recognizing the officers that have given their lives for this career,” said Lewis.

Close to their minds and hearts will be fallen officers. Lt. Moran will be riding in memory of Master Deputy Shane Robbins, from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The 15-year veteran died in the line of duty on April 26, 2013 when he was involved in a single-vehicle crash. Sgt. Lewis will be riding to honor the memory of Officer Michael Crain, an 11-year veteran of the Riverside Police Department in California. Officer Crain was shot and killed in the line of duty after being ambushed at a red light on February 3, 2013. Both Moran and Lewis will wear a metal bracelet with the fallen officer’s name engraved in it. Once arriving at the memorial site, they will present the family members with the bracelets.

“When you ride into the police memorial in Washington, DC and see the faces of the family that you are riding for, it’s heart wrenching,” said Moran. “But it’s also amazing when you get to meet the family and see how thankful they are for us remembering their loved one. It’s one of the most gratifying things I’ve done in my life.”

Both will also wear a small memento in honor of their own fallen comrade, Officer Arnulfo Crispin. Crispin was shot in the line of duty on December 18, 2011 and succumbed to his injuries three days later. “The reason I joined the tour in 2012 was to honor the memory of Arnie,” said Moran. Officer Crispin’s family will be there in Washington to greet Moran, Lewis and the other riders participating in the tour.

Riders in the Unity Tours are either police officers or family members of fallen officers. Officer Lewis shared a memory from his first Unity Tour where a woman who was riding in memory of her husband. The woman began to struggle after about 70 miles into the ride. He watched as another officer whom she had never met put his hand on her back and pushed her for the next 40 miles so that she would not be dropped from the ride. “Riding a bike for 110 miles is impressive, but to push another rider for that distance was simply amazing to witness and truly in the spirit of the tour,” said Lewis.

Started in 1997 with only 18 riders, the event has grown to include over 1,700 riders from all over the United States. In total the event has raised almost $14 million for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Each year the ride culminates at during National Police Memorial week in Washington, DC. Riders all converge at the same time at the National Law Enforcement memorial where thousands of family members of fallen officers and law enforcement supporters are waiting.

For each officer to participate they must raise $2,000. Half of the money covers the expenses of the ride and the other half goes directly to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund. If you would like to support these two officers, you can make a donation through their fundraising websites.

The City of Lakeland has scheduled a Public Meeting regarding a proposed traffic roundabout and associated pedestrian and bicycle improvements at the Lake Hollingsworth Drive and Hollingsworth Road intersection. The meeting will be held on Thursday, April 3, 2014 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Florida Southern College Thrift Building, located on Columbia Way (off of Lake Hollingsworth Drive), Lakeland, Florida 33801, adjacent to the Florida Southern College swimming pool area.

The meeting will be conducted in an open-house format beginning at 6:00 p.m. A visual presentation will begin at approximately 6:15 p.m. and continuously loop throughout the meeting. During the presentation, City staff and representatives from the study team will be available to discuss the project, receive input, and answer questions. Display boards and other visual aids depicting project concepts will be available throughout the meeting.

The public meeting is being conducted to present the results of the Alternatives Analysis study conducted by the City’s consultant of the traffic operations at the intersection of Lake Hollingsworth Drive and Hollingsworth Road; identify possible modifications to improve the operation of the intersection and associated pedestrian and bicycle improvements, and obtain input from elected and appointed officials, property owners/tenants, business owners/operators, and other interested parties.

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, handicap, or family status. Anyone requiring special accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or persons that require translation services (free of charge) at the meeting should contact Mrs. Lana Braddy at lana.braddy@lakelandgov.net at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting. Study-related information may also be obtained by contacting Mr. Mark E. Wilson, P.E., Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. at (863) 701-8702, or by email to marke.wilson@kimley-horn.com or follow the City of Lakeland Public Works Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/fbcolpw .